7 December 2017 - The Global Dementia Observatory, a web-based platform launched today, will track progress on the provision of services for people with dementia and for those who care for them, both within countries and globally. It will monitor the presence of national policy and plans, risk reduction measures and infrastructure for providing care and treatment. Information on surveillance systems and disease burden data is also included.

8 December 2017 – New training tools launched by WHO today will help promote the human rights of people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities. They will also lead to better quality care in mental health services. Intended for mental health staff, and people using mental health services and their families and carers, the tools cover topics such as understanding human rights; promoting community inclusion; and preventing coercion, violence and abuse in mental health services.

The training materials have been developed as part of WHO’s QualityRights initiative.

4 December 2017 - WHO’s mhGAP Intervention Guide 2.0 app, launched in October, is now available in both iOS and Android. The app provides non-specialized health-care providers with access to comprehensive information to help them diagnose and treat a range of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders including depression, epilepsy and dementia from their tablets or mobile phones. The tool can be downloaded free of charge.

Also launched this quarter were mhGAP training manuals to help trainers and supervisors build the capacity of non-specialized health workers in providing mental health care.

4 October 2017 - Employers and managers who take action to promote mental health at work and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work and the financial health of their organizations. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems among employees, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.

Mental health in the workplace is the topic of this year’s World Mental Health Day, on 10 October.

Highlights

Good mental health is related to mental and psychological well-being. WHO’s work to improve the mental health of individuals and society at large includes the promotion of mental well-being, the prevention of mental disorders, the protection of human rights and the care of people affected by mental disorders.

Mental health included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Promoting mental health and well-being, and the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, are integral parts of the Sustainable Development Agenda to transform our world by 2030 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 2015.

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This is the final report of the six-year collaboration between the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and the Gulbenkian Global Mental Health Platform. It identifies 32 policy options to promote and strengthen the implementation of the WHO MHAP.